Professional Mentoring Programme

Inspire Potential; Awaken Possibility
Professional Mentoring Programme

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Welcome to the Professional Mentoring Programme

The Professional Mentoring programme matches students with a Professional Mentor – individuals from industry, alumni, non-alumni, staff members – all giving their time and knowledge to support students both undergraduate and postgraduate at the University of Plymouth. The programme is only open to current students at the University. You must be studying throughout the entirety of the programme. Unfortunately if you apply but graduate before the programme starts you will not be accepted.

Students and Mentors work together over six months with four contact points. These contact points can be face to face, telephone calls, email conversations or via an online platform such as Skype or Microsoft Teams. 

Have questions? Unsure if this is for you? Drop-ins and information sessions can be found on the appointment calendar on myCareer.

 

Who can apply?

Applications are open to all students in all undergraduate years. For postgraduate students the Mentoring Programme is only open to students who are studying postgraduate taught and masters courses only. Unfortunately this is not open to postgraduate research courses.

Priority matching will go to students who fall under the following groups in keeping with the University’s Widening Participation Strategic statement; care leavers, students with disabilities, mature students, black and ethnic minority students and low participation neighbourhoods to ensure we offer a full supportive package. Secondary matching will then to go all other applicants who have not been on the programme before.

<p>University of Plymouth Employability Service mentoring training 2016 </p>
 

What do I gain as a student?

"The mentoring programme has been an excellent opportunity to network with a potential future employer and gain valuable advice while also developing my employability skills along the way."​

Caroline Millan – BSc (Hons) Marine Biology

"My experience has been very informative, it has played a key role in the development as a student and helped prepare me for my transition to the workplace.​"

Jacob Hughes – BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering

"I enjoyed having the connection with a knowledgeable person who could relate to my current situations and help guide me and give me information to face the near future with more confidence​."

Jennifer Matcham – BSc (Hons) Psychology

<p>Nina Franck<br></p>

Nina Franck, Franckly Ltd.

Why be a mentor?

"You enter the programme hoping to give something back – to the university, to the students... but in actual fact, you end up gaining more!​"

Colin Entwistle,​ Sulmara Subsea


"The University of Plymouth mentoring programme was so rewarding by seeing mentees gain more clarity and trust in their own skills and feel ready to take on the next steps in their career path."

Nina Franck, Franckly Ltd.

Feedback from our participants

<p>Ivanna Odle and Megan Pearce<br></p>

Ivanna Odle and her mentor, Megan Pearce

"The Professional Mentoring Programme of 2020–2021 has been a life-changing experience for me. As a final year student, I thought it would be very useful to have a mentor who I could talk to about my next steps, but the experience surpassed my expectations. My mentor walked me through her personal experiences on her professional journey and provided me with practical tips and tricks she had learnt along the way."
Ivanna Odle, BSc (Hons) Environmental Science
"I first joined the programme to give back to the University and Careers Service. Each year I continue to grow in confidence delivering the mentoring sessions and understand the value I can give to my mentee. Recognising and reflecting on your own achievements and setbacks is an important part of life, and if you can share these lessons with others, you have the opportunity to guide them in the right direction or, perhaps more importantly, let them know they are not alone."
Megan Pearce, mentor with the Met Office

“What I learnt on this experience was invaluable, it made me more confident and motivated. The experience was really inspiring and seeing the reality of life in a dental setting reaffirmed my passion for my chosen career.”
Natalie Lu, Biomedical Science – Pre-Dentistry Studies student

“Natalie is a ‘do-er’, she is so independent and her confidence has grown so much through this. You can really see her passion in her work. I wish Natalie all the luck in her future degree and I have no doubt that she will excel at being a fantastic dentist.”
Dr Claudia Stanley, mentor with the Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise

Find out more about Natalie's mentoring experience

<p>Dr Claudia Stanley and Natalie Lu<br></p>

Natalie Lu and her mentor, Dr Claudia Stanley

Mentee benefits | Professional Mentoring Programme

Find out about the benefits of joining the Professional Mentoring Programme and working with a professional in industry to explore your career goals and personal development.

Being a Mentor | Professional Mentoring Programme

Find out about the benefits of joining the Professional Mentoring Programme and supporting one of our students in their future career.

Mentoring timelines

The Professional Mentoring Programme will be running two strands in the next cycle, please read carefully the dates below.

Professional Mentoring Programme 1

Applications open: 1 April 2022

Applications close: 7 October 2022

Student Training: 24 - 28 October

Mentor Training: 1 - 2 November

Meet your Mentor - in person: 7 - 8 November

Meet your Mentor - online: 9 -10  November

Celebration: 10 May 2023, 14:00 - 18:00


Professional Mentoring Programme 2

Applications open: 1 November 2022

Applications close: 1 January 2023

Student Training: 23 - 27 January

Mentor Training: 30 - 31 January

Meet your Mentor - in person: 6 - 7 February

Meet your Mentor - online: 8 - 9 February

Celebration: Date TBC


Further support

<p>Careers Service</p>